The scorching heat baked roads,
trees, and anything else that dares to stand in its way. At 44.7 degrees
Celsius, Karachi, the largest metropolitan area in Pakistan, bore the brunt of
the heat. After months of sizzling temperatures, casualties became
devastatingly commonplace. Humans weren’t the only victims. At this
temperature, asphalt roads began melting, adding to a long list of heat-related
damages in the city. People strove to provide a logical reason for this event.
Was this due to climate change? Atmospheric fluctuation? Mother nature? While
opinions differed, one thing was certain: these were no ordinary summer days.
This was a heat wave[i].
It’s common knowledge that
the average body temperature is about 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, or 37 degrees
Celsius. This optimal temperature strikes a perfect balance, preventing
bacterial infection while maintaining an efficient metabolic rate. In short,
it’s the ideal temperature to maintain homeostasis. If our surrounding environment
is too cold, our bodies respond by inducing reflexive muscle movement to warm
our bodies, otherwise known as shivering. Conversely, when the environment is
too warm, a human’s natural response is to cool down by sweating. But what
happens when the surrounding temperature is simply too hot for the body to
handle?[ii]
This year’s summer forced
countries like India and Pakistan to grapple with that very question. While
regular summers in places like Karachi and New Delhi often reach 40 degrees Celsius,
this year’s heat wave has approached record-breaking levels. The effects have
been tragic. As of July 1st, over 3,000 people in the region have
died from heat wave-related conditions. Karachi alone has accounted for 1,200
deaths. Roughly 50 times as many people, or around 65,000, have flocked to
hospitals to be treated for heat stroke[iii].
So what exactly is heat
stroke? Heat stroke is a condition in which prolonged exposure to heat leads to
an inability for the body to maintain regular body temperature. Consequently,
this can lead to seizures, stroke, comas, and even death.[iv]
To exacerbate the situation, both frequent power outages throughout countries
like Pakistan and abstention from water during the month of Ramadan have
heightened the number of casualties, where fasting is observed from dawn to
sunset.[v]
But Southeast Asia isn’t the
only region affected by the heat wave this summer. Last week, the German town Kitzingen recorded
a brutal 40.3 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature ever recorded in the
nation since record keeping began in 1881. The same week also brought
temperatures of 36.7 degrees Celsius to Britain, a record temperature for the
month of July.[vi]
Heat waves in other European nations, including France, Poland, Portugal, and
Spain, have also threatened citizens. While fatality rates have not been on the
same scope as in Southeast Asia, babies, older adults, and those with chronic
health problems remain susceptible to dehydration,
fever, and heat stroke.[vii]
As a result of heat waves occurring around the world, the World Health Organization and World Meteorological Organization released its first ever guideline to address heat-related concerns. Titled Heatwaves and Health: Guidance on Warning-System Development, the report describes human physiology in increased temperatures, societal impacts of sustained heat, and intervention strategies to reduce potentially fatal effects of heat waves. On a more practical level, the publication gives helpful tips for anyone wishing to avoid the potentially detrimental effects of heat. These include drinking fluids that contain little to no sugar, putting on sunscreen with a protection factor of 15 or higher when going outside and avoiding rooms with dark curtains.[viii]Despite the fact that heat waves rarely drive the same attention-grabbing headlines as hurricanes and earthquakes, they are nevertheless among the most dangerous of natural hazards. Exposure to prolonged heat can cause severe dehydration and heat stroke, both of which can lead to death. In areas like Southeast Asia, over 3,000 deaths have been recorded this summer alone.[ix] As simple as it may seem, drinking cold fluids regularly and remaining indoors as much as possible are critical choices that can ultimately be the difference between life and death. While heat waves are far over, it is important to keep these tips in mind to enjoy a safe and sunny summer.
-Kai
[i] Iyengar,
Rishi. "A Heat Wave in Pakistan Has Killed Around 140 People."Time.
Time Inc. Network, 22 June 2015. Web. 7 July 2015.
[ii] WebMD.
"Body Temperature." WebMD. Healthwise, 14 Nov. 2014. Web.
07 July 2015.
[iii] Iyengar,
Rishi. "A Heat Wave in Pakistan Has Killed Around 140 People."Time.
Time Inc. Network, 22 June 2015. Web. 7 July 2015.
[iv] WebMD,
LLC. "Heat Stroke: Symptoms and Treatment." WebMD. WebMD,
LLC, 27 Sept. 2014. Web. 07 July 2015.
[v] Iyengar,
Rishi. "A Heat Wave in Pakistan Has Killed Around 140 People."Time.
Time Inc. Network, 22 June 2015. Web. 7 July 2015.
[vi] Bacon,
John. "Europe Sizzles as Heat Wave Smashes Records." USA
Today. Gannett, 06 July 2015. Web. 07 July 2015.
[vii] WebMD,
LLC. "Heat Stroke: Symptoms and Treatment." WebMD. WebMD,
LLC, 27 Sept. 2014. Web. 07 July 2015.
[viii]
"Heatwaves and Health: Guidance on Warning-System Development."World
Health Organization. Ed. G.R. McGregor. United Nations, July 2015. Web. 7
July 2015.
[ix] Iyengar,
Rishi. "A Heat Wave in Pakistan Has Killed Around 140 People."Time.
Time Inc. Network, 22 June 2015. Web. 7 July 2015.
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